1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to pole vault training devices and, more particularly, to a pole vault training device including a pole replicating section having generally cylindrical forward and rearward pipe sections extending generally parallel and generally horizontally offset from one another and a training device mounting and support section which includes a pivot mount, a pivot shaft extending outwards from the pivot mount which is axially rotatably mounted thereon, an offset mount bar extending downwards and outwards from the outer end of the pivot shaft and first and second pipe section mount bars which extend respectively upwards and forwards and upwards and rearwards from the offset mount bar to support the forward and rearward pipe sections such that a user of the pole vault training device may be suspended from the forward and rearward pipe sections and efficiently practice the swing up, close off, and launch segments of the pole vaulting process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Of all of the various track and field events, few, if any, are more difficult to master than the pole vault. To even be qualified to become a pole vaulter, one must have the outstanding straight line speed of a sprinter combined with the upper body strength of a gymnast, and it is only then that one would begin to learn the intricacies of the pole vaulting technique. While there are at least a fair number of individuals who will qualify to participate in the pole vault based on sheer physical attributes, to become proficient at the pole vault it is necessary to master the intricacies of the technical aspects of pole vaulting, and this is a very difficult thing to do.
There are two major phases in the pole vault, the runway phase and the aerial phase. Mastery of the runway phase involves learning the proper technique of carrying the pole, the best ways to maximize the vaulter's speed on the runway, and the proper technique to plant the pole in the vault box. Although the practicing of these techniques in the runway phase can be physically demanding, the degree of danger encountered in practicing the runway phase is relatively small, as the vaulter never leaves the ground during practice. Also, mastery of the carrying and planting skills, although somewhat difficult, can be achieved by the majority of physically qualified persons with simple repetition of the runway phase. Mastery of the aerial phase, however, is far more difficult, due not only to the many steps which must be sequentially learned and translated into practice, but also due to the need to practice those steps in an aerial position which vastly increases the dangers encountered by the vaulter during the learning process. There is therefore a need for a training device which will allow vaulters the opportunity to practice the aerial phase of the pole vault.
Several different devices have been proposed in the prior art which attempt to provide devices for practicing the aerial phase of the pole vault. These include such devices as those found in Tolsma, U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,174 and Lockwood et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,148. The Tolsma invention includes a pole which is gripped by the vaulter who is then swung into the air by a person pulling on a cable connected to the pole, thus allowing them to practice the aerial phase of the vault. The Tolsma invention has several disadvantages, however, in that it still requires the user to be elevated off of the ground surface a substantial distance, and furthermore control of this elevation is taken out of the vaulter's hands and placed in his or her assistant's hands, thus introducing another potential source for error. Also, because the vault pole of Tolsma is suspended from two cables, one at each end, operation of the Tolsma device is particularly susceptible to misuse due to poor positioning of the vaulter on the pole which cannot be corrected due to the flexible and generally non-rigid nature of the cables.
Likewise, Lockwood et al., is also designed primarily to practice the swing and stretch phase of the vault as was related in Tolsma, but uses a substantially different technique. Specifically, the device includes an upside down “U-shaped” tube member which fits over a horizontal gymnastic bar, a pair of extension members extending downwards from the top surface of the U-shaped member to handles which are offset from one another horizontally, and finally at least one strap is provided to secure the wrist of the user to prevent accidental release of the hand from the grip area. As with the Tolsma invention, Lockwood et al. includes several inherent disadvantages which do not permit the user of the Lockwood device to properly execute the intended function of the Lockwood device. Most importantly, because of the placement of horizontal bar 25, the vaulter cannot properly perform the close off and launch segments of the pole vault technique as would be done with a standard pole during the pole vault. Furthermore, because the Lockwood invention is intended to merely rest on a horizontal bar, the deficiencies in safety should be obvious to one skilled in the art, with the support bar positioned to fall off of the horizontal bar anytime the unit is rotated more than ninety degrees. Finally, Lockwood includes wrist straps which secure the wrist of a user to the unit which prevents the vaulter from releasing the Lockwood training unit should such release become necessary. There is therefore a need for a pole vault training device which will address and correct the deficiencies found in the prior art.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved pole vault training device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pole vault training device which includes a pole replicating section including generally cylindrical forward and rearward pipe sections extending generally parallel and generally horizontally offset from each other and a training device mounting and support section on which the pole replicating section is mounted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pole vault training device in which the training device mounting and support section includes a pivot mount, a pivot shaft axially rotatably mounted on the pivot mount, an offset mount bar extending downwards and outwards from the outer end of the pivot shaft and first and second pipe section mount bars, the first pipe section mount bar extending upwards and forwards from the offset mount bar and connected to and supporting the forward pipe section and the second pipe section mount bar extending upwards and rearwards from the offset mount bar and connected to and supporting the rearward pipe section.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pole vault training device which will accurately replicate the aerial phase of the pole vault without requiring the vaulter to make repeated run-ups to the vault area and also will minimize the height to which the vaulter must go to replicate the aerial phase.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pole vault training device in which the pivot bar is spring-loaded by a torsion spring or the like to replicate the pole's resistance to the vaulter's energy prior to the takeoff phase of the vault and to simulate the unloading of the pole's energy to launch the vaulter upwards.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a pole vault training device which is relatively simple and efficient in construction and design and is safe and functional in use.